Automotive steam generator



March 29, 1932. R. R MGKNlGH-r ET AL 1,851,715

AUTOMOTIVE S TEAM GENERATOR Filed Feb. 5, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet l f f3 Y v.

Aw@ f5 March 29, 1932.

R. R. MCKNIGHT ET AL.

AUTOMOTIVE STEAM GENERATOR 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 5, 1930 March 29, 1932. R R- MCKNIGHT ET AL 1,851,715

v AUTOMOTIVE STEAM GENERATOR Filed Feb. 5. 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 v cles, although the special features of theV 520' Patented Mar. `29, 1932` y UNITED.STATES PATENT ol-"riciel RUFUS R. MCKNIGHT AND ARTHUR WEBBER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORS `TO THE DE MOE ENGINEERING LABORATORIES, INC., OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ACORIO- RATION OF ILLINOIS l y `au'roiiiiofiiivn STEAM- GENERATOR Application fied February s, 1930. semi No. 425,975.

the present invention is kto improve the con? struction of a steam` generator of this character in such a way as to prevent a siphoning out of the water from the 'boiler tubes by the sudden evolution of steam. a

As shown, the special features of the present invention are combined in a steam generator which possesses the features of compactness, flexibility, efliciency, and rapidityof steam generation in a typey of power unit adapted for use inthe driving of vehipresent invention are 'not inany way limited to a generatorof this specific'charaoter., l In the present embodimentjof the invention, the generator as a whole includes groups' of prelieating drums arranged below the fire level, together with groups of drums above the fire level, and connected with the lower drums by tubes which surround theheating ZOIle.

' The steam evolved in the upper groups of drums traverses a circuitous pathway4 from drum to drum and is ultimately delivered to a super-heating drum immediately above the fire zone, from which the superheated steam is delivered to the throttle.

' ioA In the passage of the steam through the upper groups of drums, diiiculty hasbeen experienced in the maintenance vof "a proper water level, and in the return How of condensation, by reason of the tendency of the steam, at the point of its evolution, to ,suck out` or Siphon out the water and thus'interfere with the proper operation of the generator. The present invention is intended to Y overcome this difticultyvbythe provision of adequate drum connections, arranged in each instance.- at the proper levels to prevent or destroy this siphonng action, and at the same time to afford adequatey communication between the drums of the' several groups, so that the steamV `will pass unrestrictedly to the super-'heater without disturbing the intended watery level, at the point where the water is intended to flash into steam.

Other objects and detailsof the invention will appear from a description thereof, in con junction with the accompanying drawings, whereinf- Y Y Figure 1 is a vei'tical section, takenlongitudinally of the generator;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional View, taken on line 2,-2 of Figure 1, showing the preheating drums at the bottom of the generator; l

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the generator with the housing removed; and

Fig. 4; is a rear elevation of the generator with the housing removed.

In the present exempliication of the invention, the generator comprises an insulated housing 10 of rectangular or'boXlike formation, which encloses all of the drums and tubes comprising the generator as a hole.

The preheating drums arranged at the bottom of the housing comprise a pair of centrally disposed drums 11 which are connected at their inner ends by a high level cross tube 12, together` with two pairs of outer drums v13-14L,'each pair being connected, at the for-r ward endsof the drums, byahigh level cross connecting tube 15. f

I'Vater is admitted to one of the inner drums f 11 through an iiilet'tube 16, and all of the re- The two inner drums 11 are of less length than the groups of outer drums, which arrange-k ment affords space for the location of a burner 18.

The tubes are arranged in thepform of transversely extending bankswhich are connected at their lower ends to the outermost preheating ,drums 14. vEach bank includes a lower cross header 19 and an upper cross header 20, and between the headers are arranged groups of ltubes 21. The lower headersV slope obliquelyupward from short pipe sections 22, which furnish the connections with the outer preheating drums, and the arrangement is one Vin which the tube banks stand'i'n interspersed relation to one another; i*

endl, which is welded 'or otherwise securedy to the central` adjacent .drums 32;?2 and to the rear endet the superheater drum 44.` c

The T-shaped tube connection 45 is supple- L4mented by an upper T-shaped extension 47,

the arms Aof which enter the top of the center drums 87 of the upper group, and the T-eX- tension leads downwardly and is kcentrally entered into the T tube connection 45, so that,

A"in effect, a double cross connection is provided, which aords lower and upper ylevel connections between the drums 37 at or near the front ends only. y p i The superheater drum has leading there- N:trom a steam pipe 48 which carries superlieated steam to the throttle of the engine with which the generator is associated. The normal water levely will be at or near the top of the-drums 28, at which point the generation of steam takes place, and the steam will thereupon be discharged into the center` drums of the lower group and be thence distributed to the drums 32 of the ylower,`

g group and from them to the drums of the upy in upper and lower groups, theprinciple in-` kper group, and ultimately carried downward-L ly intothe superheater. u

The evolution of steam within the drumsr 2S may tend to create a suction` or siphoning action atthis point which will have the efrect of sucking the water upwardly above the intended water level and thus interfering with the evolution of the steam. .t is to overcome this tendency that the three drums of the lower group are doubly connected, both by a high level connection and by a low `level connection, and for the same reason the drums'and its ultimate discharge into the superheater. K

Although the high and low level connections are shown as applied to drums arranged volved is adapted for use wit `groups of drums variously arranged and connected, and

it will be tlius understood that they group` series shown serves simply for purposes of exemplitication and that it is not the intention to limit the invention save inthe manner indicated in the claims.

lt will be understood that by providingA upper and lower groups kof connections, the

return flow ot water of condensation will be unimpeded by the upward movement` of the steam, so that water will not betrappedand llfcarried forward into the steamjline,

i l.Although the invention hasbeen described as one which is particularly adapted for use in a generator intended 'for automotive use,

the'principles involved have more general application and may beemployed in manycases where single level connections 'would rtend to establishand maintain a suction. line with the resultant siphoning eii'ect on the water. K

We claim: pl.k ln a steam generator', the combination of heating'tubes, means for heating the tubes, a Water level drum with which the heating tubes .are'connected,xa plurality-of steam drums locatedjabove lthe water level drum and connected"therewith, and high level and low Alevel connections between drums and adaptedto prevent kthe 'siphoning the steam of water,and meansfor educting steam from.

the` steam drums.

2. In a` steam generator, the combination or" heating tubes, a water'levcl `drum with which the heating tubes'. are connected, a

'esy

group of three steam'drums located above" the. water level drun'igandvoonn'ected there.

with, and high level and low level connections between the steam drums and adapted to prer vent the siphoning of water through the steam j drums, and means for educting steam' from thesteam drums. i

3. ln steam generator, the combination of heating tubes, a water level drum with which the heating tubes :are connected', ak

group of three steam drums located alfove the 4water level drumV and connected vtherewith, and high level and low levelvconnec` tions between the ends of the steam drums and adaptedto prevent the siphoning of wa-r ter through the steam drums, and means for educting steam from the steam drums.

4. In 'a steamgenerator, the combination of heating tubes, a distributer drinn located-y above andconneeted rwith the heating tubes, a pair of water level drumsv connected with thedistributer drum, a group of three steam drums located above the water level drums,

the ycenter drum of saidigr'o'up beingjconnected withthe waterlevel drums, high level and low level connections between the group of` three steam drumsand adapted to prevent.

the siphcning of water through the drums,

and means for educting steam from the steam drums. c

5. In a steam generator, the'combination of heating tubes, a distributor drum located above and connectedfwith the heatingtubes, a pair of vwater level drums connected with thedistributor drum, a lower group ,of three steam,y drums located above the water level drums, the center drum of said lower group being connected with the ywater level drums,

high klevel and low level connectionsbetween the three drums ofthe lower group and adapt# Vedto prevent the s'iphonin g otwater, an upper groupzofthree steam drums, theouter drums of the upper' group being connected with the outer` drumsof the lower group by two sets of connections entering the respective drums at Inwitnessthat iwe iclaiml the foregoing We have hereuntoisubscribed'ournamesthis 24th different levels, and the three drums of the upper group being inter-connected, and means for educting steanifrom the upper group of drums.V

6. In a steam generator, the combination of heating tubes, a distributor drum located above and connected with the heating tubes, m'lfa pair of water level drums connected with the distributor drums, a lower group of three drums located above the water level drums, the center drum of said lower group being connected with the water'level drums, high level and low level connections between the three drums of the lower group and adapted to prevent the siphoning of water, an upper group of three steam drums, the outer drums of the upper group being connected with the goouter drums of the lower group by two sets of connections entering the respective drums at different levels, and the three drums of the upper groupl being inter-connected, and g means for educting steam from the upper ggroup of drums, said means including connections entering one of the drums of said group at different levels.

7. In a steam generator, the combination of heating tubes, a distributor drum located :wiabove and connected'with the heating tubes, a pair of water level drums connected with the distributor drum, a lower group of three drums located above the water level drums, the center drum of said lower group being Shconnected with the water level drums, high level and low level connections between the three drums of the lower group and adapted to-prevent the siphoning of water, an upper group of three steam drums, the outer drums l10T-Tof the Aupper group being connected with the outer drums of the lower group by two sets of connections entering the respective drums at different levels, and the three drums of the upper group being inter-connected, and *means for `educting steam from the upper group of drums, said means including` connections entering one of the drums of said group at different levels, and a superheater drum located below the water level drums and with which said steam educting means communicates.

8. In a steam generator, the combination ot vertically disposed heating tubes, means Jfor heating the tubes, three horizontally disyfposed drums grouped together at substantially the same revel above the heating tubes, a connection between at least one of the drums of said grouprand the heating tubes, and a high level and a low level cross connection between the three' drums composing the group, adapted to prevent the siphoningof water through the drums, and means for educting steam from the interconnect-ed drums, and a separate heaterdrum with ""which saideducting means communicate.

day ofLJanuary,1930.`-,

f R'UFUSn RQ MCKNIGHT.

ARTHUR WEBBER. 

